Advocates to Hold Candlelight Vigil and Opioid March to the White House on International Overdose Awareness Day

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousands of supporters of FED UP!, a grassroots coalition of organizations and families directly impacted by the nation's opioid addiction epidemic, are gathering at 7:00 p.m. at The Ellipse in Washington, DC on International Overdose Awareness Day, a global event held on August 31^st each year to raise awareness of overdose and acknowledge the grief felt by those who have lost loved ones.  A candlelight vigil will be followed by a march to the White House demanding action from Congress and the Administration to control the opioid addiction epidemic that is devastating families and communities across the country.

WHEN/WHERE:
Thursday, August 31, 2017

• 12:00  Noon - Press Conference, National Press Club
• 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm - Networking Luncheon, National Press Club
• 7:00 pm - Candlelight Vigil, The Ellipse (behind the White House)
• 8:00 pm - The Opioid March to the White House

WHO:

• Michael Botticelli – Former Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Gary Mendell – Founder and CEO, Shatterproof
• Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Executive Director, Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing
• Dr. Caleb Alexander,  Co-Director for the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The Washington, DC Vigil and March will be one of 60 rallies coordinated by FED UP! to occur simultaneously in 30 states.  Advocates will demand that Congress appropriate increased funding for addiction treatment.  Current funding is woefully inadequate, and previously-enacted legislation remains underfunded.  A bare minimum of $60 billion over ten years will be required for local communities to adequately provide access to much-needed addiction treatment.

Advocates will call for the administration to formalize the President's decision to designate the opioid crisis a national emergency and to commit to the necessary financial resources.

We are in the midst of the worst drug addiction epidemic in U.S. history. Since 1997, rates of opioid addiction have increased more than 900%, and the sharp increase in addiction has led to record high levels of overdose deaths.

For more information, visit:  http://feduprally.org/2017-fed-up-event-in-washington-dc/    

Contact Information:
Judy Rummler, Chair of the FED UP! Coalition; 612-865-1754; [email protected]
April Rovero, Chair of the 2017 FED UP! Rally; 925-980-5490; [email protected]
Don Flattery, Policy Chair of the FED UP! Coalition; 571-215-2729; [email protected]

SOURCE FED UP! Coalition

Related Links

http://feduprally.org